“Fine,” Leo replies. “I’ll break it to her tonight.”
A cold feeling washes over me. Tell me what? My mind spirals to the worst-case scenario immediately: Leo must be married. Ugh. Maybe he’s one of those guides that gives free screws with each new camping tour, selecting one hot piece to spend the time with, and then ditch her when the trip is over. Is this why he wants me to stay with him for a few weeks? An easy booty call? I feel sick to my stomach at the thought.
I cross my arms over my chest, practically hugging myself for comfort, and head for the Lodge exit. The need to get out of here is overwhelming. I feel used and miserable. Have I fallen for someone who might be worse than Bill?
Is there even such a thing?
I step outside and head down the wooden stairs of the Lodge. I’ve got my purse on my shoulder, but the rest of my gear is in the backpack that Leo carried. Fuck it, I’ll ditch it all. I no longer care. I just feel an overwhelming need to escape. To hide out in shame. Maybe I can go to a nearby store and call a taxi or a shuttle bus to take me to the nearest airport. I’m sure not driving back with Bill, and it doesn’t feel like I can stay here.
Behind me, the door swings open. “Caroline?” Leo’s voice bellows out on the street, causing a few tourists to turn around. A hot flush touches my cheeks, and I clutch my purse tighter, storming down the sidewalk. Immediately, I hear Leo’s feet thumping down the stairs as he comes after me. “Caroline, where are you going, baby?”
When his hand touches my arm, I jerk away from him. “Don’t touch me!”
He looks utterly shocked at my words. “What’s wrong? Baby, what’d I do?” His lips pull back in a snarl, and he glances up and down the street. “Did that fuckhead Bill come back and bother you? Do—”
“It’s you,” I say, my fists clenched. My heart feels broken. It’s stupid to fall for a guy in less than twenty-four hours, but what about me and Leo has been normal? “You’re lying to me, aren’t you?”
A devastated look crosses his face. “Caro, I can explain—”
“Explain?” The word chokes out of me. I punch his arm with one fist, and then wince at how much it hurts. “You’re a jerk, Leo! I can’t believe you have a wife and didn’t tell me!”
“I…what?” His eyes widen, and then a look of pure relief crosses his face. “Oh, damn. Baby, you scared me for a minute there.” At my sound of incoherent rage, the burgeoning smile disappears off his face. “No wife, I promise.”
I resist the urge to scream at him, because now I’m just confused. “Then what are you lying to me about?”
He glances up and down the street, then moves closer to me. “Can we go to my place and talk? I need to explain a few things and I can’t do it here on Main Street.”
I glare up at him, trying to judge if this is a trick. I desperately want to believe him, but I’ve made bad choices about men in the past, haven’t I? Maybe this is just another bad one. “I don’t know—”
“Please,” he murmurs, then leans in. “Unless you’d rather I sling you over my shoulder and carry you off so I can sex you into submission?”
A titillated gasp escapes my throat. I hate that my body immediately responds to that. I hate that a bevy of mental images—some from last night and some from my imagination—flutter through my mind at the thought. “I’ll walk with you.”
He grins and pulls me under his arm, apparently completely happy once more.
Now I’m just confused.
----
I hate that Leo’s cabin is so damn charming.
It’s utterly adorable. It’s rustic and masculine, with a big beat-up couch mostly hidden by a red tartan throw and a pair of antlers over the doorway. The walls are wooden, and there’s a cozy bedroom off the tiny kitchen. It’s not a very big place—perfect for two people, but it’s definitely not a family home. I’m also pleased to see there are no photos with other women or
A cold feeling washes over me. Tell me what? My mind spirals to the worst-case scenario immediately: Leo must be married. Ugh. Maybe he’s one of those guides that gives free screws with each new camping tour, selecting one hot piece to spend the time with, and then ditch her when the trip is over. Is this why he wants me to stay with him for a few weeks? An easy booty call? I feel sick to my stomach at the thought.
I cross my arms over my chest, practically hugging myself for comfort, and head for the Lodge exit. The need to get out of here is overwhelming. I feel used and miserable. Have I fallen for someone who might be worse than Bill?
Is there even such a thing?
I step outside and head down the wooden stairs of the Lodge. I’ve got my purse on my shoulder, but the rest of my gear is in the backpack that Leo carried. Fuck it, I’ll ditch it all. I no longer care. I just feel an overwhelming need to escape. To hide out in shame. Maybe I can go to a nearby store and call a taxi or a shuttle bus to take me to the nearest airport. I’m sure not driving back with Bill, and it doesn’t feel like I can stay here.
Behind me, the door swings open. “Caroline?” Leo’s voice bellows out on the street, causing a few tourists to turn around. A hot flush touches my cheeks, and I clutch my purse tighter, storming down the sidewalk. Immediately, I hear Leo’s feet thumping down the stairs as he comes after me. “Caroline, where are you going, baby?”
When his hand touches my arm, I jerk away from him. “Don’t touch me!”
He looks utterly shocked at my words. “What’s wrong? Baby, what’d I do?” His lips pull back in a snarl, and he glances up and down the street. “Did that fuckhead Bill come back and bother you? Do—”
“It’s you,” I say, my fists clenched. My heart feels broken. It’s stupid to fall for a guy in less than twenty-four hours, but what about me and Leo has been normal? “You’re lying to me, aren’t you?”
A devastated look crosses his face. “Caro, I can explain—”
“Explain?” The word chokes out of me. I punch his arm with one fist, and then wince at how much it hurts. “You’re a jerk, Leo! I can’t believe you have a wife and didn’t tell me!”
“I…what?” His eyes widen, and then a look of pure relief crosses his face. “Oh, damn. Baby, you scared me for a minute there.” At my sound of incoherent rage, the burgeoning smile disappears off his face. “No wife, I promise.”
I resist the urge to scream at him, because now I’m just confused. “Then what are you lying to me about?”
He glances up and down the street, then moves closer to me. “Can we go to my place and talk? I need to explain a few things and I can’t do it here on Main Street.”
I glare up at him, trying to judge if this is a trick. I desperately want to believe him, but I’ve made bad choices about men in the past, haven’t I? Maybe this is just another bad one. “I don’t know—”
“Please,” he murmurs, then leans in. “Unless you’d rather I sling you over my shoulder and carry you off so I can sex you into submission?”
A titillated gasp escapes my throat. I hate that my body immediately responds to that. I hate that a bevy of mental images—some from last night and some from my imagination—flutter through my mind at the thought. “I’ll walk with you.”
He grins and pulls me under his arm, apparently completely happy once more.
Now I’m just confused.
----
I hate that Leo’s cabin is so damn charming.
It’s utterly adorable. It’s rustic and masculine, with a big beat-up couch mostly hidden by a red tartan throw and a pair of antlers over the doorway. The walls are wooden, and there’s a cozy bedroom off the tiny kitchen. It’s not a very big place—perfect for two people, but it’s definitely not a family home. I’m also pleased to see there are no photos with other women or
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